September marks the start of pumpkin season, so say hello to this Instant Pot Pumpkin Lasagna Soup! Pumpkin season is usually about the pumpkin sweets – pumpkin muffins, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin cookies, the works.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE pumpkin treats. But, I also think there are some incredible savory pumpkin recipes that get overlooked. Like this unique and fun pumpkin lasagna soup! If you are wondering, what exactly is a pumpkin lasagna soup, let me explain!
First we turn lasagna into soup form (lasagna soup is a thing, Google it). Then we add the flavors of pumpkin and woodsy herbs to make it taste like Thanksgiving. And that’s how we get a pumpkin lasagna soup!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Fun and Unique. This soup combines everything you love about two great things in life: lasagna and fall flavors. Plus, it’s unique flavor profile is guaranteed to impress.
Easy to Make. The main work involves chopping up and sautéing vegetables. Then you get to dump everything in the Instant Pot and let the machine do its work. So you get to enjoy the flavors of lasagna with a fraction of the work.
Instant Pot Magic. The cook time for this recipe is just 4 minutes, which is far less time than any stovetop soup! (Disclaimer: it does take some time for the soup to come to pressure, like any Instant Pot recipe, but it’s hands-off so you can do other things in the meantime).
Simple Ingredients. This lasagna soup is made with simple, readily available ingredients (think carrots, onions, garlic, chickpeas, lite coconut milk, vegetable broth, fresh herbs, etc.).
Cozy Fall Comfort Food. This pumpkin lasagna soup is the coziest autumn-inspired comfort food! Creamy from lite coconut milk, pumpkiny from, well, the pumpkin, and herbaceous from the bouquet garni, it has everything about fall comfort food that you love!
How to Make Vegan Instant Pot Pumpkin Lasagna Soup
First, chop up your veggies (dice the onions and carrots, and mince the garlic), and break up the lasagna noodles into small pieces. Then, prepare your bouquet garni.
A bouquet garni is a fancy French term for a bundle of herbs tied together. If you don’t have all of the specific herbs called for in the recipe, feel free to double up on another herb or use a similar herb (e.g., if you don’t have oregano, add a sprig of rosemary or add double the amount of thyme).
Then, it’s time to start cooking the soup. Select the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the diced onions and carrots and cook until they start to soften. Then add the garlic sauté for 1-2 minutes.
Deglaze the pot with the vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
Then, pour in the coconut milk, chickpeas, lasagna noodle pieces, salt, pepper, nooch, and tuck in the bouquet garni. Finally, scoop the canned pumpkin on top but do not stir the pumpkin into the soup. To help prevent triggering that burn error, I like to spoon or scoop thick ingredients on top of everything else, so they’re less likely to sink to the bottom and scorch the bottom of the pot.
Use the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure for 4 minutes. When the timer is done, perform a quick pressure release. A natural pressure release risks overcooking the lasagna noodles.
While the soup is cooking, you can prepare the Tofu Ricotta. All you need is a food processor and it takes 5 minutes!
When the soup is done, select the Sauté setting and add the tomato sauce, and stir until slightly thickened, just a few minutes. The reason I don’t add the tomato sauce during pressure cooking is it’s one of those very thick, viscous ingredients that is likely to trigger the burn error.
Watch! How to make Instant Pot Pumpkin Lasagna Soup
Tips for making this recipe
Be sure to break up the lasagna noodles into smaller pieces. You don’t need bite-sized pieces, but don’t stick them in the Instant Pot whole. The noodles won’t cook evenly and might stick to the bottom of the pot.
Use traditional lasagna noodles, not the no-boil noodles. I haven’t tried this recipe with the no-boil variety so I can’t say for sure, but 4 minutes was perfect for my traditional lasagna noodles, so it’s possible that 4 minutes would overcook no-boil noodles.
Deglaze the pot! When you sauté something in the IP, and then pressure cook thick ingredients like coconut milk, pumpkin, or canned tomatoes, deglazing is key. If you leave browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, you risk triggering the Instant Pot burn sensor.
Don’t stir the pumpkin into the soup before pressure cooking it. When you add very thick or viscous ingredients to the Instant Pot (think tomato sauce), it can stick to the bottom of the Instant Pot’s inner pot and trigger the machine’s burn sensor.
I have made recipes where I have stirred the pumpkin into the rest of the ingredients and the Instant Pot has been fine, but since we’re also using pasta (which has a tendency to stick), it’s best to play it safe and not stir in the pumpkin. If you’re wondering how to do that, just use a spoon to scoop out the pumpkin on top of all the ingredients and don’t stir. Or just watch the video above (around the 01:30 mark) for a visual reference.
If you don’t want to add chickpeas to the soup (maybe you think they don’t belong in lasagna soup, fine), then you can simply omit them. If you want to add a different protein to your soup, you can stir some baked tofu at the end.
Don’t skip the bouquet garni! It’s what infuses the soup with a deep aroma of woodsy herbs. It really makes the soup!
That’s about all you need to know about this vegan Instant Pot Pumpkin Lasagna Soup, so put on your fuzzy socks, light some apple spice candles, and start making this soup. And be sure to tag me on Instagram with your creations!
Vegan Instant Pot Pumpkin Lasagna Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium or large carrots, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup “lite” or reduced-fat coconut milk
- 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas (or 1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas)
- 8 pieces lasagna noodles (6 ounces), broken into small pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- Bouquet garni: 2 bay leaves + a few sprigs each of flat-leaf parsley, oregano, and thyme, tied tightly together with kitchen twine
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie)
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
Tofu Ricotta (makes about 2 cups)
- 1 14-ounce (400g) block extra-firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons (16g) nutritional yeast
- 1 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 15 fresh basil leaves (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium-large lemon)
Instructions
- Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and let the pot heat up for a few minutes before adding the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Add the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Select the Cancel setting.
- Add the lite coconut milk, chickpeas, lasagna noodle pieces, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and bouquet garni. Stir well to submerge the lasagna noodles. Using a spoon, scoop the pumpkin on top of everything, but do not stir or submerge to prevent burning.
- Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook (Manual) setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 4 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, make the Tofu Ricotta. Drain the tofu and blot away the excess water with a few paper towels. For a smooth ricotta, crumble the tofu into a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until you have a creamy, smooth texture. Taste for salt, acidity, and cheesiness, adding more salt, lemon juice, or nutritional yeast, respectively, as needed. For a chunkier ricotta, place the tofu in a large bowl and break it into smaller chunks using a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together until the consistency resembles ricotta cheese.Note: the ricotta can also be made a few days in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Once the 4-minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully switching the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting.
- Open the pot and remove the bouquet garni. Stir well, add the tomato sauce and select the Sauté setting. Heat the soup for 2-3 minutes until the tomato sauce is incorporated and the soup has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the flavor, as needed, with additional salt or pepper.
- Serve the soup in bowls and top each bowl with a few spoons of Vegan Ricotta Cheese and stir to combine. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
This was my first instant pot dinner & your directions were so easy to follow. My hubby loved it – said it should be served in a restaurant, which is a compliment I’ve only received one other time. Will definitely make this again & it’s a great dish to serve with a salad when entertaining!
Awesome, Erin. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I made this tonight. It was good, but the 6 cloves of garlic was a bit too much for my personal taste. I think next time I’m going to scale back on the garlic and maybe throw in some chunks of fresh pumpkin or sweet potato as a little food experiment.
Thank you for all of these yummy recipes. I also have your cookbook.
Sorry to hear the amount of garlic was too much. Glad you love the recipes otherwise, Kim!
Just made this for the second time last night and ate leftovers for dinner tonight and WOW this recipe is amazing! It’s quick but tastes like it simmered on the stove for a long time and the tofu ricotta is just perfect!
Thanks for sharing, Elise! We are thrilled you love it.
When I first saw this recipe I thought, “Garbanzo beans and pumpkin?? Uh, ok… “ However, I decided to try it since I’ve been so happy with so many recipes in Nisha’s instant-pot cookbook. I’m SO glad I did! Love it! Delicious and creamy, nutritious and filling. YUM. Thank you!
Awesome, Nancy. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Made this soup last night for dinner. I used fresh roasted pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree and added 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper to the soup.
My husband and three teenagers all agreed the soup was “really good” and went back for seconds. I’ve never made vegan ricotta before, but it was fresh and bright (I halved that part of the recipe) and I’d definitely say the topping added a yummy flavor and texture contrast to the soup.
I will be making this warm & satisfying soup again since we grow our own pie pumpkins and this was an out-of-the-box creative way to use them. Thanks for a great recipe, Nisha!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Jess!
This is one fantastic recipe, so flavourful and wholesome – had to make it two days in a row as loved it so much
Anita, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
I just tried this recipe and l loved it! It’s the first recipe l’ve tried from your blog and it won’t be the last! I substituted spinach for carrots for a color comparison and cooked it on a stovetop as l don’t have an IP. It turned out great! Thank you Nisha!
Awesome, Madeline. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Delicious! My first instapot recipe. I increased the nutritional yeast to about 1/2 cup and added rosemary to the bouquet. I’d definitely make it again. Was even a hit with my non-vegan husband.
Deborah, So glad to hear you two loved this recipe!
Nisha,
Thank you for all your hard work in helping make me and my family healthier! You’re truly a positive gem! Finally faced my instapot fear and made this! Thank you!! I was wondering if you had any suggestions for another recipe of yours that I could make using some of these leftover herbs and/or the cheese? Would love to try another one of your delicious ideas! Xo
Hi Megs! Thank you for the kind words! You can just type in “ricotta” or “parsley” into the website to find additional ideas. You could make a modified version of this dish with ricotta and parsley that would be quite delicious!: https://rainbowplantlife.com/lemon-orzo-pasta-salad/
Using the ricotta in any other pasta dish or as a sandwich spread would also be delightful.
Happy cooking!
This also looks delicious! Thank you!
So far we did use the ricotta on toast with our last few garden tomatoes & basil! Delicious!!! Making some vegan pesto to add it to as well! And another batch of the lasagna! ☺️ Thank you again! Your positivity is contagious!
Gorgeous, Megs! Glad you’ve found additional ways to use the ricotta :) Thank you for all of the kind words!
Any suggestions on how to make this on the stove top if you don’t have an instant pot?
I just made it on the stovetop and it was so easy! I kept the stove on a mid-simmer the whole time and let the pasta and veggies slowly cook while l cleaned up the kitchen. So, l was nearby during the cooking but hands-free! Hope this helps!
From Nisha: “Hi Charika, we haven’t tested this ourself, but based on our research of similar recipes, you can try (1) sautéing the aromatics in a soup pot, (2) adding the liquid, pumpkin, chickpeas, herbs and simmer for 10 minutes, (3) add the broken lasagna pieces and cook for another 7-10 minutes until al dente, stirring often to prevent sticking.”
Can this be made using just a normal slow cooker?
Great! Lasagna soup was a game changer when my household went vegan. In soup form, you really don;t miss the cheese. This pumpkin version is good, though a little plain. I’ll add a few different veggies next time to add texture, taste, and nutrients. The tofu ricotta went with it really well. I was skeptical when I tried it on it’s own (it was a little tofu-y) but a dollop mixed into the soup was great. The recipe makes a lot of ricotta, so I froze half.
Thank you for your honest review, Carolyn. We are glad you enjoy the soup!
Any ideas how to use something without soy for the tofu?
Cashews?
Hi there Rebecca, you could try using soaked & drained raw cashews and let us know how that goes?
Stove top directions?
I just made it tonight in a regular stovetop pot (not pressure cooker). I tripled the cook times and added a cup of water with the vegetable broth. It turned out great!
Awesome, Elise. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Hi, we haven’t tested this ourself, but based on our research of similar recipes, you can try (1) sautéing the aromatics in a soup pot, (2) adding the liquid, pumpkin, chickpeas, herbs and simmer for 10 minutes, (3) add the broken lasagna pieces and cook for another 7-10 minutes until al dente, stirring often to prevent sticking.
So delicious!! Perfect for chilly fall and winter nights. Also super easy to make with the blessing of the instant pot. Another hit from Nisha!!
Awesome, Erin. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
This soup is out of the park fabulous! (I did forget to add the tomato sauce.) I made this today and it was so delicious, a wonderful warm soup for a rainy day. I absolutely recommend it!
I accidentally missed the star ratings. Obviously a 5 star recipe!
Awesome, Cate. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
Love this! It’s got great fall flavor and is plenty filling. I’ve made this a few times and it’s great as is or with a little less broth to come out more like a pasta with sauce than a soup. The prep probably takes me 20 minutes, and I’m not particularly skilled.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Lindsey!
I could eat this every day of my life and die happy.
Jennifer, So glad to hear you love this recipe! :)
I made this last week. It is perfect for autumn! My neighbor and daughter will be making it also.
Glad you loved it, Kerry. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Really delicious and heartwarming soup. Really enjoy discovering ways to use pumpkin this season and this recipe is perfect. Was a hit tonight in my house. The Tofu ricotta brought it all together and was easy to make while IP was working it’s magic.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Kim! So glad you enjoyed the soup!